BACK TO THE FUTURE

Welcome to a brand new feature where we look at the greatest pieces of classic studio gear and how you can recreate their sound with new hardware and software. To start, John Pickford looks back at the Pultec EQP-1A…

Some designs are so inherently right that they live on decades after their contemporaries have been forgotten. Electric guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster first appeared in the early 1950s, yet they still outsell a multitude of newcomers and their iconic styling has been copied repeatedly.

The Pultec Program Equalizer EQP-1A

The Pultec EQP-1A equalizer is one such design, originally launched in 1951 and remaining in production today. Several manufacturers produce their own take on the original, ranging from exact copies to scaled-down versions incorporated into modern units; the authentic sound of the Pultec can also be heard as a plug-in.

Original EQP-1As were designed and built by Pulse Techniques, a company formed by Ollie Summerland and Gene Shank in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. The small township of Teaneck holds a special place in the hearts of sound recording historians, as it’s not only the birthplace of the legendary equalizer, but also the town in which Les Paul (co-designer of the guitar that bears his name) set up the world’s first multi-track recording studio. Summerland and Shank hand built the very first units, named the EQP-1 and, following an early modification to the design, the EQP-1A was made available to recording and broadcast studios.

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Find the complete article and many more in this issue of
MusicTech
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Mar-16

About MusicTech

The new issue of MusicTech is on sale Thursday February 18th and this month we’re bringing you the ultimate modular synth masterclass! We explain (in detail) how to build your own system. Also this month we’ve got a preview of Yamaha’s Montage synth, a look back at NAMM 2016 and brand new reviews and tutorials.